1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an antenna pattern frame enabling an antenna pattern to be embedded in an electronic device case, a method and mold for manufacturing the same, and an electronic device case employing the antenna pattern frame.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mobile communications terminals such as cellular phones, personal digital assistants (PDAs) and laptop computers, which support wireless communications, are indispensable devices in modern society. Functions including CDMA, wireless LANs, GSM and DMB have been added to these mobile communications terminals. One of the most important components that enable these functions to operate is associated with antennas.
Antennas being used in these mobile communications terminals have advanced from external antennas, such as rod antennas or helical antennas, to internal antennas that are disposed inside of terminals.
External antennas are susceptible to damage by external shock, while internal antennas increase the volume of terminals.
In order to solve these problems, research has been undertaken to manufacture antennas that are formed integrally with mobile communications terminals.
In order that antennas are formed integrally with terminals, a method of bonding flexible antennas to terminal bodies using adhesives is used. Recently, a method of forming antenna films by molding has been proposed.
However, when flexible antennas are bonded by simply using adhesives, the reliability of these antennas is reduced as the adhesiveness decreases. Besides, this also causes harm to the appearance of the terminals, lessening emotional quality for consumers.
In addition, when antenna films are used, product stability can be ensured. However, a process of bonding an antenna to a film is difficult to perform and manufacturing costs are also increased.
Moreover, when such antenna films undergo a molding process, the elasticity of the antenna films makes it to difficult to inject a molding solution into the mold while fixing the antenna films.